1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a fluid collection device, and more specifically, to a deployable, flexible fluid collection bag and a method of forming the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is very common for a drain connected to a kitchen sink to become blocked, or for a waste disposal unit to become inoperable. Repair of the kitchen sink or the waste disposal typically requires removal of at least a portion of the plumbing line running to the kitchen sink, or disconnection of the waste disposal from the plumbing lines. Although the water line may be turned off, water or fluid already present in the plumbing lines may leak or flow out when such repairs are performed. As can be appreciated, it is undesirable to allow the fluid to leak into the space under the kitchen sink. Therefore, various receptacles are typically placed under the leak to catch the fluid.
Due to the cramped space and plumbing lines extending under the kitchen sink, conventional buckets and pails may not easily fit within the space under the sink to catch the fluid. Thus, various supplies commonly found in the kitchen, such as pots, pans, cookie sheets, etc. are oftentimes employed as fluid collection devices to collect the fluid as it leaks from the plumbing.
Given that the aforementioned kitchen supplies are not specifically tailored for such use, it can be appreciated that there are several deficiencies associated therewith. One problem is that the supplies may not be able to effectively collect the fluid as it leaks. For instance, a cookie sheet is very shallow and may not have enough fluid capacity to collect all of the leaking fluid, or the fluid may splash outside of the cookie sheet as it leaks out.
Another problem associated with conventional kitchen supplies is that they are generally rigid in nature. More specifically, pots, pans, and cookie sheets are typically formed from cast metal, such as stainless steel, copper, etc. and do not offer much flexibility when being placed in cramped quarters, such as under the kitchen sink. In this regard, they may not be able to fit around many of the pipes or other plumbing fixtures disposed under this sink.
In addition, although fluid leaking from kitchen sink repairs may be relative clean in most cases, it is also possible that the fluid may have particulate suspended therein (i.e., dirty water). Furthermore, other plumbing repairs may produce leakage of dirty fluid. An exemplary repair associated with dirty fluids is replacement of a toilet. In such a repair, sewage may leak from the toilet as it is removed from the floor. Therefore, it is desirable to collect the leaking fluid within a container which is disposable to allow the dirty fluid to be easily disposed of. Moreover, if certain plumbing fixtures or accessories are removed containing the dirty fluid, it is desirable to transport such fixtures and accessories within a receptacle that would mitigate further leakage of the dirty fluid.
As is apparent from the foregoing, there exists a need in the art for a deployable fluid collection bag and a method of forming the same, wherein the bag can be deployed during conventional plumbing repairs to collect fluid and to facilitate transport of the fluid for disposal. The present invention addresses this particular need, as will be discussed in more detail below.